Follow Karan Johar

Bollywood outraged over attack on Bhansali in Jaipur

The whole of Bollywood was appalled after a group of
protestors assaulted filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali in Rajasthan’s Jaipur on
Friday. The protestors belonging to Rajput Karni Sena also vandalised the sets
of ‘Padmavati’ and damaged equipment at the Jaigarh Fort, where Bhansali was
filming the period drama.

Top personalities of the film industry, including veteran
filmmaker Shyam Benegal, Anurag Kashyap, Karan Johar and several others expressed
outrage at the incident and came out strongly in Bhansali’s support.

Speaking to an agency, Benegal said that violence is never
the right approach and there is always a civilized way to deal with things. “You
can have different views about incidents in history and that’s another matter
that people can also feel aggrieved. But to take the law into your hands and
attack a person like this is simply not done.”

“If you have a dispute with Bhansali’s facts and figures
then you should come up with your own facts. That is the civilised way of
dealing with it. These attacks are meaningless. The film industry will come
together and definitely take up this matter,” the critically acclaimed director
said.

The protestors have alleged that Rajasthan’s history has
been distorted in ‘Padmavati’, which stars Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh,
Shahid Kapoor and Aditi Rao Hydari. The hashtag ‘#IStandBySLB’ started trending
on Twitter post the incident.

Karan Johar took to Twitter and wrote, “Am appalled at what
has happened with Sanjay Bhansali....this is the time for all us as an industry
to stand by our people and fraternity!! Having been through many instances of
turmoil during a film shoot or release…i understand Sanjay’s emotion at this
point…I stand by him.”

Farhan Akhtar posted, “My fellow film folk, if we do not
unite now against these recurring incidents of bullying, it's going to get much
worse. #IstandbySLB I'm waiting to see how many people are punished for what
they've done to #SanjayLeelaBhansali & his crew. There's enough evidence.”

“Can once the whole film industry come together and take a
stand, and refuse to be a pony that all bullshit and bullshitters ride on?? At
the same time Shame on you Karni Sena, you make me feel ashamed to be a
Rajput.. bloody spineless cowards ..,” tweeted Anurag Kashyap.

Hrithik Roshan, who worked in Bhansali’s ‘Guzaarish’, tweeted,
“Did random people enter another persons workplace n raise their hand on him
because dey decide dey don't like what he does? I am enraged!!! Mr. Bhansali ,
Sir. I stand with you. This is so infuriating!!!! [sic]”

Priyanka Chopra wrote, “It's appalling to hear what happened
to #SanjayLeelaBhansali .im so saddened..Violence is not what our forefathers
taught us..”

“U don’t beat an idea by beating a person.U beat an idea by
beating an idea.This politics of violence is chilling free speech.Raise ur
voice!” said Mahesh Bhatt.